You Took My Hand & Nothing Has Ever Felt the Same
by Nikki Von Dratch
Summary: There was an odd rushing in her ears, a strange feeling in her chest and in the pit of her stomach, a sort of churning like nausea accompanied by an intense burning in her throat. And then, there was nothing at all. RED QUEEN Ruby/Regina FEMSLASH
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This is complete AU, my friends. My Muse latched onto this idea and would not let up until I wrote it. And, 16,000+ words later, it's finally complete. **For a brief run-down:** Henry does not exist. Regina is still Mayor, but with decidedly more human issues (she's no Evil Queen in this one). Ruby is Deputy. She kicks ass. Graham and Emma are around too, and lots of others make cameos. Essentially, this should have been titled, "In Which Deputy Ruby Lucas Tries Desperately to Woo Mayor Regina Mills." That is all. I hope you enjoy. :)

* * *

Ruby covered her mouth and nose with the back of her hand and ducked her head as she rushed into the smoke-filled room. It was dark, and the haze made it even more difficult to see, but Ruby pressed on anyway, squinting against the darkness and treading carefully. The fire hadn't quite reached the mayor's office yet, but it was getting closer and Ruby knew she didn't have much time.

"Mayor Mills!" she called out, stifling back the urge to cough as she inhaled a bit of smoke. "Madame Mayor!"

Ruby ducked, eyes sweeping the room, trying to get a visual on the other woman. She knew the mayor was there; she'd heard the emergency response call just minutes before, and she knew Regina had been the one to make it.

Getting down on her hands and knees to avoid the ever-growing cloud of smoke overtaking the room, Ruby crawled forward, eyes still searching. She called out several more times, alternating between using the other woman's title and her name, her rising panic growing more evident in her voice when the mayor still didn't answer to either. It wasn't until Ruby finally reached the desk at the far end of the room that she heard it. The faintest of moans, followed by a cough. Ruby crawled quickly around the desk, and that's when she saw her.

The mayor was lying curled up on the floor, her face tucked into the crook of her elbow, trying to ward off the smoke, likely unsuccessfully. She wasn't moving. From what Ruby could make out, she was barely even breathing. Ruby moved toward her on hands and knees, reached out and gripped Regina's shoulder, turning her over onto her back. She peered down at the mayor, offering a faint smile when Regina's eyes fluttered open.

"Deputy?" Regina rasped, brow furrowing in confusion. She opened her mouth to speak again, but then succumbed to a minor coughing fit.

"Come on," Ruby said, grabbing Regina's hands and hauling her up into a sitting position, "we have to get out of here. We don't have much time. The fire's spreading quick."

Regina just nodded dumbly.

"Can you crawl?" Ruby asked.

"I—I think so," Regina managed to answer, nodding again.

She got to her hands and knees, pausing for just a fraction of a second to regain some composure, and then she followed Ruby, crawling quickly toward the office exit where bright orange flames were just beginning to lick and singe the doorway.

By the time they made it safely outside, the fire had engulfed most of the main floor of City Hall, and it was rapidly moving upward, spurred on by the air seeping in through the heat-fractured windows. Ruby hauled herself to her feet and lifted Regina unexpectedly up into her arms, her heart pumping pure adrenaline through her veins as her long legs carried them both away from the building.

The fire fighters had just arrived, and Ruby could make out the faint sound of more sirens in the distance, signaling that the sheriff and ambulances would be there soon as well. Regina clung to her like a life line, arms circled around Ruby's neck, her face buried in dark hair, and Ruby instinctively tightened her hold on the other woman, shifting her slightly and cradling her better so that she wouldn't fall.

When the first ambulance finally made it on scene, Ruby made a beeline for it. She was vaguely aware of Emma and Graham rushing up behind her as she handed Regina off to the paramedics. Their voices were chattering incessantly, asking questions and making Ruby's head pound even more than it already did.

There was an odd rushing in her ears, a strange feeling in her chest and in the pit of her stomach, a sort of churning like nausea accompanied by an intense burning in her throat.

And then, there was nothing at all.


	2. Chapter 2

Ruby awoke to the sound of beeping. Steady and rhythmic. Punctuated by a louder sound when she jerked her arm, inadvertently tugging on the I.V. she didn't know was there. Hazel eyes cracked open and Ruby looked down at her arm, trying to figure out just what was holding her back, and how. She moved again, tugging at the unfamiliar clear tubes and grimacing when sharp pain shot through her arm.

"Hey, take it easy. You'll yank out your I.V.."

The Sheriff's voice filtered into Ruby's ears, slightly distorted by the high-pitched ringing and the rush that was still pulsating between them. Ruby snapped her head up, eyes opening wide in fear and confusion, and Emma was at her side in a second, wrapping her hands around Ruby's wrists and pinning them to the bed at her sides to keep the other woman from freaking out and ripping out the I.V. that was deep-seated in her vein.

"Hey, whoa, calm down. Ruby, calm down. You're okay," Emma said, concern etching itself onto her tired features. "You're okay," she repeated as Ruby continued to squirm, clearly scared and disoriented, "you're at the hospital. You're safe. There was a fire, remember? You inhaled a lot of smoke and passed out, and you were brought here to recover. You're okay. Everything's okay. Just calm down."

The words didn't make sense at first, and Ruby's head ached as she tried to wrap her mind around them. She slowly relaxed, finally stopping her struggle in Emma's grasp while the sheriff continued to whisper reassuring words. Ruby sagged back against the bed, letting out a little huff of breath. Her lungs ached with the effort it took to draw in a deep breath to calm herself, and she frowned when she found that the burning had taken over her throat again.

"Em—" Ruby tried to get the words out, but her voice was just a squeak that quickly dwindled into nothing, and she ended up mouthing her words instead, much to her dismay. She tried again, and again, and cursed internally when no words would come out.

"Hey, it's all right. Here, have some water," Emma said, reaching around to the small cup sitting on the bedside table. She handed it to Ruby, who drained its contents greedily, never mind the pain as it went down. "Better?" the blonde asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

Ruby opened her mouth to attempt to speak again, and when nothing came out, she shook her head, face falling in disappointment.

"Don't worry about it, okay? Doc said with the amount of smoke you inhaled, you'll be more likely to get your voice back in a couple days. And there might be a lot of coughing and stuff as your body tries to purge itself of the smoke," Emma explained, giving Ruby a sympathetic smile.

Ruby's frown deepened.

"How's your head?" Emma asked a moment later.

Ruby just shrugged.

"Not that great, huh?"

Ruby shook her head, defeated and annoyed that she'd been reduced to simple gestures.

"Hey, maybe I'll find you a notepad or something at the nurse's station, that way we can communicate better," Emma said, smiling as if that had been the brightest idea she'd gotten all night.

Ruby wanted to tell her that she was tired and that writing down paragraphs to express her feelings was the last thing she felt like doing, but she couldn't, and so she just nodded, offering the sheriff a tired, forced smile.

"Cool. I'll be right back, okay?" Emma said as she patted Ruby's knee and scooted off the bed.

Ruby watched as Emma wandered out of the room and disappeared down the hall, and silently prayed that she wouldn't come back.


	3. Chapter 3

"I hear you're a hero," Graham said casually, grinning at Ruby from where he stood in the doorway to her hospital room.

Ruby shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Not... really," she managed to get out, still a little hoarse.

The burning in her throat had gotten much better over the last day or so, but with the relief of one problem inevitably came the onset of another. The coughing fits were bad enough, but the things Ruby hacked up afterward were pretty damn disgusting. Soot build up was definitely not on her list of good things to contend with.

Graham pushed off the door frame and sauntered into the room, his boots scuffing the floor a little with each step he made toward Ruby. "Oh, come on. Give yourself a little credit. You were the first on the scene. I'm told you saved the mayor herself," he teased.

Ruby rolled her eyes again. "You were... there... idiot."

"Yeah, you're right. I saw it with my own eyes. City Hall lit up like a Christmas tree, and you came running out of there carrying Regina Mills like she was an innocent little child. It was quite a sight," Graham said, plopping down into the empty chair beside Ruby's bed and propping his feet up on the edge of the bed.

Ruby swatted playfully at his legs and pushed his feet aside. "Did you... just come here... to pick on me... or was there," she paused to cough lightly, "a point to this visit?"

Graham smiled. "I'm just doing my friendly duties. Coming to check up on you," he replied. "How are you feeling?" he asked, a little more serious.

"Eh, better," Ruby rasped with the shrug of a shoulder. "Itching to get back to work though."

"I'll bet. Emma said you were pretty antsy when she stopped by yesterday. It's only been a day-and-a-half, you know. You should enjoy this time off."

"I'll have time off... when I'm dead."

Graham shook his head. "You take this job way too seriously for you own good, you know that, Lucas?"

"Maybe."

"Anyway," Graham said, after a moment had passed, "I also came by to tell you that the mayor is starting to scare the sheriff. And me, for that matter."

"What?" Ruby asked.

"She's stopped by the station every day since the accident. Sometimes twice a day, just to ask how you're doing," Graham answered. At the look on Ruby's face, he said, "Oh, I know. We're just as confused as you are. I mean, we all know Regina isn't the type to openly show concern for anyone, but she's been pretty worried about you, it would seem. She won't let up."

Ruby frowned. "It's probably just because she feels guilty or something."

Graham shook his head. "I don't think so. She seemed genuinely concerned. Maybe not, but... I don't know. There was something different about her when she showed up the morning after the fire. She seemed pretty rattled by the whole thing," he said.

"Huh," is all Ruby said as she leaned her head back against her pillow and focused her vision on Graham's feet, where they'd snuck back up onto the edge of the bed.

"Well, I guess I should get back to work. It's getting close to noon and I'm sure Leroy will have had plenty of drinks at the diner by now," Graham said, slowly rising from his chair. He leaned over Ruby and dropped a light kiss on her forehead. "You take care of yourself, okay? There's no need to be in a rush to get back to work. The sheriff and I have been doing just fine without you."

"Liar," Ruby teased, smirking. "And I'm due to be released tomorrow, so... you best watch out."

Graham just rolled his eyes and chuckled as he walked away.


	4. Chapter 4

Ruby was never more grateful to see the inside of her own apartment than when she finally made it home from the hospital.

She shrugged out of her leather jacket and hung it up on the peg near the door, toed off her boots, and then shuffled tiredly into the living room where she collapsed unceremoniously onto the couch. She let herself sink down into the soft cushions, bringing her arm up and draping it across her eyes to block out the bright sunlight streaming in through the half-open blinds. Everything was still and quiet, the only sound being that of Ruby's own breathing and the ticking clock above the mantle, the gentle hum of the refrigerator running in the distance.

Ruby closed her eyes and sighed heavily, let her body relax even further into the pillows and felt herself drifting off to sleep. She'd only managed to drop off for about five minutes before her phone buzzed in her pocket. Ruby jumped and cursed, quickly reaching for the offending device. She brought her phone up and squinted against the brightness to get a look at the display screen. It was a message from Graham, more than likely to tease Ruby for wussing out and going home before visiting the station. She almost didn't even bother to view it, but something told her that she should. Just in case.

_Hey-oh. Just wanted to let you know that the mayor stopped by. Again. She was asking about you. Emma told her you got released from the hospital today, but she still seemed kinda worried. Just wanted to give you a heads-up._

Ruby sighed again and ran a hand through her tangled hair. She slowly pushed herself upright and tossed her phone down onto the coffee table. She didn't know why Regina seemed so concerned about her, but she needed to find out, before the woman drove her co-workers crazy. With a groan, Ruby got to her feet, setting a clear destination up in her mind.

Sleep could wait.

She got about halfway to the door before she realized that a shower, however, could not.


	5. Chapter 5

Ruby made it to the Mayoral Mansion at around half-past three. She looked and felt a little better, more like her old self, after showering and changing into fresh clothes, but she was still tired. She slowly made her way up the stone path that lead to the mayor's front door and raised a finger to press against the doorbell. It only took a minute before the maid pulled open the door. She was an older woman with graying hair and soft brown eyes, reminiscent of Ruby's own grandmother, and she smiled at Ruby, warm and kind.

"May I help you?" she asked.

Ruby faltered for a second, then said, "Uh, yeah. Yes, ma'am. I'm here to see Mayor Mills, if she's in."

The woman's eyes traveled over Ruby, taking her in, and paused over the gun and badge holstered at her hip. "Oh, you're the deputy," she said, realization dawning over her face. Her smile widened. "The one who saved Mayor Mills' life. Please, come inside.

Ruby felt a hint of a blush creeping up onto her cheeks and she hoped the other woman didn't notice. She smiled politely and ducked her head as she stepped into the house. It was warm and inviting, more so than Ruby had expected, especially given who lived there. It wasn't a secret that Regina Mills wasn't exactly the nicest person. She was as stubborn and arrogant as she was beautiful, and she made a fierce and fearsome leader, governing over the citizens of Storybrooke with an iron fist that didn't let up, not even for the most trivial of things. But here now, Ruby thought she might get a sense of who the woman was behind the cold, hard facade. If nothing else, at least she felt somewhat welcome here, even though she hadn't even met with Regina yet. Hell, she wasn't even sure if the woman would want to see her. After all, she had just showed up unannounced.

"She's just in her office going over some files, since she can't be at City Hall right now," the maid informed as she headed toward the short corridor just off the entry hall. "I'll go and tell her you're here."

Ruby just nodded and stood awkwardly between the front door and the stairway. She stuffed her hands into her pockets and let her eyes roam over the room, taking in the art work and the soft, muted colors; the sculptures scattered around and what looked to be family photos spread out on the side table. Ruby made her way over to get a closer look. She had just lifted one of the smaller frames from its resting place and began to study the face of the man in the picture when the maid came back.

"Oh, that's Mayor Mills' father," the old woman said softly, when Ruby glanced up at her. "He passed away some years ago, but she likes to keep a few things of his around. She doesn't speak about him much though."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ruby said, as she placed the photo back in its rightful place and stuffed her hands back into her pockets.

The maid smiled. "Don't be, child. It's quite all right. The mayor says she can see you now though, so maybe save the browsing for another time," she said, motioning for Ruby to follow her as she turned and made her way back down the hall.

When they reached one of the dark wooden doors, the maid raised her hand and rapped gently three times. Ruby heard the mayor's voice sound from within, giving them permission to enter. The maid opened the door and ushered Ruby into the office, and then left, pulling the door closed behind her.

"Deputy Lucas," Regina greeted, looking up from the papers spread out on her desk. She removed her reading glasses and folded them, setting them neatly on the desk, and then gave Ruby a small smile. "Please, come in. Have a seat," she said, clasping her hands in front of her on top of the desk.

Ruby slowly made her way forward and took a seat in one of the empty chairs in front of the desk. She crossed her legs, and then uncrossed them, and then crossed them again nervously.

"It's good to see you were well enough to leave the hospital," Regina said. "You certainly look much better than you did last time I saw you."

Ruby nodded. "Yeah, I, uh, I feel quite a bit better now. Just a little leftover cough and some fatigue to deal with," she said, trying to keep the anxiety out of her voice.

"Good, good," Regina said, nodding. "So, I take it you needed to speak to me about something?"

"Yes, ma'am. I wanted to, uh-I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Ah, well, I can assure you that I am fine, thanks to you. It would seem I didn't inhale as much smoke as one might have thought."

"That's good."

Regina hummed in agreement. "You know, Deputy, I owe you my life," she said, after a moment. Her voice was low and somber. "If you hadn't rushed in to help me, I might not have made it out of that fire."

"I was just doing my job, ma'am," Ruby said, feeling that familiar warmth rising in her cheeks again.

"Still, I am very grateful," Regina said softly.

Ruby swallowed against the lump that had unexpectedly formed in her throat. "Emma and Graham told me," she blurted, immediately wishing she could take the words back because the look that passed over Regina's face then-it was a little bit terrifying. The woman looked like she had been caught, like a deer in headlights.

"What do you mean?" the older woman asked, sitting up a little straighter in her chair.

"Uh, just that-well, they told me you went by the station a few times, to check up on me," Ruby clarified, shifting nervously in her chair.

She shouldn't have been the anxious one. She was the one with authority here; she carried the gun and the badge, ran into burning buildings to save people, fought tooth and nail to protect the town. But Regina was the one who truly held all the power, and she could have easily used that power to bring Ruby to her knees should the young deputy say anything out of line. She was already treading dangerously close to doing just that, but something about Regina's face in that moment told Ruby she hadn't quite crossed that line just yet.

"Oh. I see," Regina said, lips pulling into a tight line. "Well, that's true."

It sounded almost as if she had just admitted defeat, and naturally, she was loathe to do so.

"You could have come to see me," Ruby told her.

Regina said nothing to that.

Instead of back-pedaling like she should have though, Ruby pushed forward. "I mean, it would have been okay. I'd have been okay with it," she said. "If you were worried, you could have-"

"Worried?" Regina interjected, raising a single eyebrow up at Ruby.

"You weren't?" Ruby asked, eyeing the other woman carefully. "I mean, Emma said you seemed pretty concerned when you asked about me. Was she wrong?"

The mayor bristled slightly at that, mostly at the mention of the sheriff's name, but then her features softened and she let out a sigh. "No. No, she wasn't wrong. I was worried about you. I just-well, I didn't know if it was appropriate for me to visit you at the hospital," she admitted. "I didn't want to impose or intrude."

"You wouldn't have been," Ruby assured, giving the mayor a small smile. "I'd have appreciated it, actually. I mean, not that you're obligated to visit me or even to thank me. Like I said, I was just doing my job. But... it would have been nice to have someone other than Graham and Emma there to check on me."

Regina nodded her understanding. "I apologize if I seemed ungrateful. I'll be honest and tell you that I wasn't quite sure how to react when I heard that you needed medical care. I was a bit too caught up in myself, I suppose. I felt guilty for a time, as well, and I didn't know how to deal with that either."

"I guess guilt's not something you do, huh?" Ruby asked lightly.

Regina shook her head. "It's not. Neither is concern for others, to be frank, but you saved my life, Deputy. I at least owe you some sort of thanks for that. I'm not completely cold and callous, in spite of that being the popular belief around this town."

Ruby didn't know what to say to that, so she opted to just keep her mouth shut for the time being.

"I'd like to make you an offer," Regina continued.

"Wait... you're not talking about money or something, are you?" Ruby cut in.

"No, no. Though, that could be arranged, if you would like."

"No, I don't-I can't take your money, Mayor Mills."

"Very well, then. What I was going to say was, if there is anything I can do to thank you, if there is ever anything you need or if there's something I can help you with, I'd like you to let me know. Don't hesitate to call me or to come by my office. Will you at least do that?"

Ruby nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good," Regina said.

"I should get going," Ruby said, pushing herself up onto her feet. "I've got to get to the station and catch up on what I missed, so maybe I can get back to work tomorrow."

"Back to the grind so soon?" Regina asked.

"Yep, I can't really afford the time off, so," Ruby said, trailing off as she turned to leave.

"Deputy," Regina called out, effectively halting Ruby and causing the other woman to turn and face her again. "Please, remember what I said. If I can do anything, anything at all. Don't hesitate," she said.

Ruby smiled. "I'll remember," she said, as she turned on her heel and headed for the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Ruby sat at her desk, absentmindedly twirling a lock of hair around her finger as she pretended to read the file that was in front of her. In reality, she'd just read the same paragraph-the very first one-at least five times. She was getting nowhere, not with the way her mind kept wandering.

It had been three days since she'd visited the mayor. Two since she'd gone back to work. And try as she might, she still couldn't quite wrap her head around her conversation with Regina. She was fairly certain she was making too big of a deal out of it, reading way too much into it, but her gut feeling was that she wasn't.

Regina had sort of opened up to her that day, expressed concern for her well-being, worry where Ruby was more than sure there should have been none. That said something, didn't it? That was the question that had plagued Ruby since the moment she left the mayor's house. What did it mean that Regina had been concerned about Ruby when she made it fairly obvious on multiple occasions that she couldn't care less about anyone else? Was it just the fact that Ruby had saved her life, and so now she felt she owed the younger woman something? Somehow, Ruby didn't think that was it.

It felt different. Much different from the way Graham and Emma showed concern. Different even from how her granny had showed concern for her, when she was still around.

Ruby sighed and shook her head. She focused her eyes on the file in front of her and re-read the first paragraph for the umpteenth time, and groaned in frustration when her thoughts got the better of her again.

"Something bothering you?" Graham asked, watching Ruby closely from where he sat at his own desk.

"I can't focus," Ruby answered simply.

"Ah. Does it have anything to do with the fact that you went to see the mayor the other day?"

Ruby's head snapped up and she turned her eyes on Graham. "What?"

"You heard me."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, come on," Graham said, getting out of his chair and walking around to Ruby's desk. He perched on the edge. "I told you she was worried about you. You went to see her, and you haven't been the same ever since. What happened?"

"Nothing happened."

"You're lying. Your eye twitched."

Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Did you talk to her?" Graham asked. "Did she even thank you?"

"Yes, I did, and yeah, she thanked me," Ruby replied.

"So, what's the problem, then? Did she say something else?"

"No. She just-I don't know. She told me that she was worried about me, and that she wanted to come by the hospital to check on me, but she didn't know how to deal with her feelings, basically, so she didn't."

Graham's eyes widened in surprise. "Her feelings? Regina Mills has feelings?"

Ruby swatted his arm. "Yes, apparently."

"Feelings about you," Graham said knowingly.

"No. Yes. I don't know."

"Well, apparently, yes, because she doesn't show concern for anyone who isn't herself. I don't think it has anything to do with you saving her life either. Or, not just that, anyway."

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked, leaning back in her chair.

Graham shrugged. "Maybe she likes you," he suggested off-hand.

"What?" Ruby's mouth fell open and her eyes widened considerably. "You can't be serious."

"I can, actually. And you didn't see the look on her face that first time she came in here asking about you. She looked like someone had just kidnapped her puppy or something. It was pretty frightening."

"You have lost your mind, Humbert. Lost it."

Graham chuckled and shook his head. "No, I haven't, and you know it," he said. "But hey, I'm just a cop. What do I know?" he added, as he moved back to his own desk.

Ruby was quiet for a moment, and then she said, "She made me an offer."

Graham perked up at that. "What kind of offer?"

"Not _that_ kind of offer. She just-she told me that if I needed anything, I shouldn't hesitate to call her. And if I thought of a way for her to better thank me, I should let her know," Ruby explained.

"That sounds like _that_ kind of offer to me," Graham teased.

"It wasn't. I just-I wish she hadn't said it, ya know? I wish she'd have just thanked me and sent me on my way. Not alluded to feelings and stuff and get me all twisted up."

"You're all twisted up over the mayor? Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it's _you_ who likes _her_." When Ruby didn't say anything to that, Graham's eyes widened. "Oh, my god. You do, don't you?"

"What? No. No, I don't," Ruby denied, shaking her head and trying to force her attention back to the open file on her desk. Anything that wasn't Graham's eyes boring into her, reading her so well.

"You don't, huh? Then why did you run into that burning building to save her?" Graham questioned.

"I was doing my job." The lie came easier and easier.

"You shouldn't have even been there. Emma and I were on call. It was your day off, Rube. You should have been at home sleeping, and instead you were the first on the scene. You were already at City Hall, weren't you? That night? You went to see her, didn't you?"

Ruby felt her head spin and her stomach lurch. "Oh, god," she muttered, leaning forward and dropping her head to her desk. She sighed at how good the cold metal felt on her burning cheek.

"Ruby," Graham said, his voice soft, "it's okay, you know. You can talk to me."

"No, I can't," Ruby mumbled, shaking her head. "I can't. I can't even."

"You have a crush on the mayor," Graham picked, grinning when Ruby shot him the finger. "I knew it. I freaking knew it. Ever since you escorted her to that gala last month. You're so into her."

"You are such a fucking girl, you know that?" Ruby asked, clearly annoyed. She lifted her head and glared at the man across from her.

"What? Come on, I'm your friend. We're supposed to talk about these things."

"No, we're not. This conversation is officially over."

"Uh-uh. Not until you tell me how you were the first one on the scene when the fire took place. Unless you tell me you're the one who set it, I'm going to have to go with my original theory-that you were going to talk to the mayor."

"Ugh, fine. Yes, okay? I was. I went to," Ruby paused, realizing how loud she had gotten and bringing her voice down a notch, "I went to ask her out."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. God, I'm an idiot, aren't I?"

"No, you're not. Well, maybe a little. I mean, it is the mayor we're talking about here."

"You suck, you know that?"

"So, you like her. Big deal," Graham went on, like Ruby hadn't even said anything. "What are you going to do about it? That should be the real question here."

"Yeah, ya think?" Ruby shot back, rolling her eyes again.

"Maybe that could be your repayment," Graham suggested. "Ask her out or something. Tell her you won't take no for an answer, and if she really wants to be nice and show her gratitude, she'll agree."

"Isn't that sort of like... blackmail or something? 'I saved your life, now you have to go on a date with me, or else.'"

Graham shrugged. "That's not the point. The point is, you've got a favor to call in, and the mayor promised to make good on it. Go for it."

Ruby groaned. "You think I should? I mean, this sort of feels like I'm crossing a line here. What if this means nothing? What is she does just feel guilty for landing me in the hospital? What if I make an ass out of myself?" she asks.

"Hey, it's a first date. You're not asking her to marry you. Calm down. Just ask her out, and if she says yes, see how it goes. You're usually a pretty good judge of people. If you have a good time, you'll know whether or not it's cool to ask her out again. Hell, maybe she'll ask you out, if things go well," Graham said.

Ruby nodded slowly. "You know what? You're right. Yeah. I'm gonna go for it," she said, reaching over the desk for her phone.

"That's my girl," Graham said, smiling as he stood. "I'll go and let you have some privacy. Let me know how it goes."

Ruby watched him leave before she flipped open her phone and pressed the mayor's speed dial button. Regina answered on the second ring and Ruby felt her heart leap up into her throat.

"Uh, Mayor Mills, hi, it's me," Ruby said, cursing herself internally for sounding so stupid. "Uh, it's Ruby."

"Hello, Deputy. What can I do for you?" Regina said, and Ruby could almost hear the smile in her voice.

"I was hoping I could-I, um-is that offer you made me the other day still on the table? I mean, when you-"

"Yes, it is," Regina answered coolly, cutting off the deputy's nervous babbling.

"Great. Good."

"I take it you've thought of something you'd like me to do for you?"

"Yes, ma'am. I-I was wondering if-would you maybe like to have dinner with me?" Ruby asked, blushing furiously and thanking the Gods that no one else was around to see her acting like a nerve-stricken teenager.

The line went silent and Ruby's heart dropped. It was almost too much. She took a deep breath to prepare herself for the coming rejection, but then something funny happened.

"I would love to," Regina answered, after a few moments.

Ruby let out a sigh of relief.

"Although, I'm not sure how that benefits you. You taking _me_ to dinner doesn't exactly help me to repay you for what you've done for me," Regina continued.

"It does. It does help, I mean," Ruby assured.

"Very well, then," Regina said. "I'm free tomorrow evening, if that's good for you."

"Yeah, I actually have the day off tomorrow, so that's perfect. I'll pick you up at around seven?"

"I'll be ready."

"Okay."

"Have a good afternoon, Deputy," Regina said, and Ruby muttered a quick 'goodbye' before the line went dead.


	7. Chapter 7

Ruby paced the floor of her bedroom, half-dressed and completely freaking out.

She had thirty minutes before she was due to pick up the mayor. She glanced down at her watch. Make that twenty-eight minutes now, and she hadn't a clue what to wear. She also didn't have any ideas as to where this dinner was actually going to take place. She hadn't thought things through that far when she'd finally gathered up enough courage to ask Regina out.

Storybrooke was a small town. No, that was an understatement. It was a _very_ small town, with exactly two eating establishments. The diner, the one that Ruby's granny had owned for most of her life, which brought up a lot of bad memories for Ruby whenever she so much as stepped into the place; and then there was the lobster shack, which was just not a place you take someone for a first date, especially not if that person is Regina Mills.

Ruby let out a sigh and collapsed back onto her bed. She scrubbed her hands over her face and groaned in frustration.

"What the hell are you going to do, idiot?" she asked herself, and for a moment, she was actually crazy enough to hope that someone or something would answer.

She desperately needed ideas. Something. Anything.

She briefly contemplated just calling and canceling, but then that would mean she was a coward. She'd never hear the end of that from Graham, and she'd run the risk of seriously letting Regina down. No. She couldn't have that.

Pushing herself up again, Ruby propped her elbows on her knees and lowered her head into her hands, closing her eyes and willing her thoughts to organize themselves.

Ten minutes later, she was reaching for her phone and tapping out a short, to-the-point message to send to Regina.

It read, simply, _Slight change of plans. Would you mind just meeting me at my place for dinner?_

She didn't expect to get a reply so soon, but her phone buzzed before she could even set it down. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Ruby pressed the 'view' button and brought up the returned message.

_Of course. I'll be over in ten_, was all it said, but it made Ruby's heartbeat quicken to about twice it's regular speed.

She jumped off her bed and ran for her closet, grabbing the first thing her hands connected with and pulling it off its hanger. _Oh, plaid. Great choice._ She slipped into the shirt and buttoned it up, and then hurried into the kitchen to whip something up, lest she risk screwing this up too.


	8. Chapter 8

When Ruby yanked open the door, she did not expect to find Regina standing there. Well, she did, actually, but she definitely hadn't expected to find her standing there wearing _that_. Ruby was always used to seeing her in skirts and power suits, which were hot enough to begin with, but seeing her now in form-fitting jeans and a silk blouse that showed off way more cleavage than Ruby could ever have anticipated-well, that just bordered on ridiculous, and it made Ruby's brain malfunction for just a moment.

She stood in the doorway, mouth dropping open just slightly, hazel eyes fixed not on Regina's face but somewhere decidedly lower. It took Regina clearing her throat to finally pull Ruby out of her daze. She mentally kicked herself and greeted Regina with a smile.

"Hey," Ruby said, moving aside a little and beckoning Regina into the apartment, "come on in."

"I brought wine," Regina said as she made her way inside. She paused in the hallway and turned back to Ruby. "And I hope I'm not under dressed," she added, her eyes sweeping over the younger woman, taking in the way she was dressed.

"Oh, no, you're fine. I mean, you look-it's, uh-you look great." Ruby fumbled for her words and just barely managed to pull herself together at the end.

Regina just smiled. "Thank you. You look amazing as well," she said.

Ruby tried to keep her own smile in check, but it was almost impossible when Regina looked at her the way she did then, dark eyes soft and shimmering with a sort of genuine kindness that Ruby had never seen before.

"So, uh, I hope you don't mind this," Ruby said, as she made her way toward the kitchen with Regina following close behind her. "I kind of had a last minute panic attack about where we were going to have dinner, and so I just decided that maybe it was best to eat here instead." _Best to be honest, too._

"I don't mind at all," Regina said, coming to stand opposite Ruby at the kitchen island. She set the bottle of wine down on the counter top and hoisted herself up onto one of the stools. "Whatever you're cooking smells wonderful."

Ruby grinned. "Pasta alla carbonara," she said, before turning to the pot simmering on the stove. "And if you're sweet, I might treat you to a cupcake for dessert," she added, as she scooped up a bit of the sauce onto the end of the spoon.

She spun around again just in time to see Regina trying to hide the slight blush that had crept up onto her cheeks. _Score one, Lucas._

"Here, try this," the younger woman said, leaning across the island and offering the spoon to Regina. "Let me know what you think."

Regina took the proffered spoon and brought it up to her mouth, blowing gently on the steaming hot sauce before tasting it. Her eyes widened a bit and she made a little noise in the back of her throat that sounded an awful lot like a moan. Ruby had to bite down on her lower lip to keep from smirking.

"That is amazing," Regina said, licking her lips.

"Thank you," Ruby said, taking the spoon back.

"No, I don't think you understand," Regina said, shaking her head, "that has got to be one of the best things that I have ever tasted. Where did you learn to cook like this?"

Ruby shrugged. "My gran taught me when I was younger. She was an excellent cook. Woman could cook the hell out of just about anything," she said, feeling her own blush settle on her face. "So, you like it?" she asked.

"I think like is a bit too tame here," Regina teased, and the double-meaning, however unintended it may or may not have been, did not go unnoticed by Ruby.

Ruby forced herself to turn back to the stove, setting down the spoon and grabbing up a fork instead to stir the pasta.

"So, I have to ask again," Regina began, as she removed her blazer and laid it over the stool next to her, "how exactly does you making dinner for me help me repay you for saving my life?"

Ruby froze for a second. _Dammit_. "Uhh, well, it'll help me get to know you a little better, for starters," she replied, not turning to look at Regina, a bit afraid of what she might find if she did. "I have this little quirk where I like to get to know the people I run into burning buildings for," she joked, the lightness in her tone masking the nervousness written on her face.

"Ah, I see," is all Regina said.

"And, well," Ruby continued, finally turning around, "I thought maybe you'd like to get to know the person who saved your life a little better too."

"You thought right, then."

"Yeah?"

Regina simply hummed in answer.

"Great. So, dinner should be ready in five. Do you, uh, do you want something to drink? I can pop open this wine, or I can find something else," Ruby offered.

"Wine would be wonderful."

Ruby smiled as she reached for the bottle and the corkscrew that was lying on the counter. "Ooh, Chardonnay," she said, appraising the mayor's choice of fine wine. "This'll go great with the carbonara."

"I made a good choice, then," said Regina, smiling.

She watched as Ruby went to the cupboard to fetch the wine glasses. When Ruby stretched to reach the top shelf, her shirt rose up a little, giving Regina a perfect view of pale, silky-smooth skin. She bit her lip and allowed her eyes to linger just a little bit longer than they should have, and then quickly averted them when Ruby turned back around. The younger woman set the glasses down on the counter and then popped the cork on the wine, letting it breathe for a moment before she poured a little into each glass.

Regina swirled her wine in her glass and then took a sip. "Mm, now that's good wine," she said, closing her eyes and savoring the taste as she took another drink.

Ruby took a sip from her own glass and moaned in agreement, and Regina felt a little rush of warmth surge through her at the sound.


	9. Chapter 9

Dinner went by quickly. A little too quickly, for Ruby's liking. Thankfully, though, Regina didn't seem too keen on leaving right away, so Ruby cleared away their dirty dishes (by herself, citing a number of reasons why she wouldn't allow Regina to help her, much to Regina's dismay) and poured more wine, and then she and Regina moved to the living room couch to continue their conversation.

"So, what I'm gathering from all this talk of heroics and badassery, is that you really, really enjoy your job," Regina said, a hint of teasing etched into her voice as she settled onto the couch beside Ruby.

Ruby laughed softly. "Uh, yeah, pretty much," she agreed, shifting and turning a little toward Regina, bending her knees and curling her legs up under her to get comfortable. "I don't know. Growing up, I didn't have any idea what I wanted to be. Most kids were talking about being lawyers and doctors and cops and I was just sort of there, the perpetual daydreamer that was always too caught up in my own flights of fancy to give any real thought to what I actually wanted to do with my life. And then I grew up, and I realized that maybe, just maybe, all those kids talking about being cops weren't so crazy after all. I still don't really know what got me interested in it. It was just like, I woke up one day and decided that's what I wanted to do, so I did it, and I don't regret it in the least," she explained.

"Wow. That sounds like a pretty spontaneous way to pick a career," Regina said. She took a sip of her wine, and added, "It suits you though."

"You think so?"

"Mm. It does. I had never realized it until you rushed into City Hall to rescue me from certain death. The hero thing works for you. You wear the badge well."

"Hah, well, thank you. I think."

"Oh, it was definitely a compliment, dear."

Ruby smiled. "So, what made you wanna run for official office?" she asked, lifting her glass and swirling its contents before taking a drink.

"Well, that decision was nowhere near as spontaneous as yours, I'm sad to say. My father was big into politics, and growing up as daddy's little girl, I was always involved in that with him. He never had any desire to run for public office himself, but he'd take me to all the debates and elections and things like that. It was fun and exciting and I got to meet all these amazing, wonderful, smart people, but I remember thinking, 'Gosh, why are all these politicians men? What's up with that?' I decided I wanted to change that, so as I got older, I got more and more involved in the political scene, worked my way up through the ranks, and ended up here."

As Regina told her story, Ruby noticed that she'd gotten a bit more animated, letting her words flow freely and her body language change. The younger woman found herself leaning in, hanging on every word, obviously so if the way Regina looked at her when she stopped talking was any indication.

"So, small-town mayor... was that your original goal or did you just... find yourself here by chance?" Ruby asked, shifting a little more and accidentally brushing her hand against Regina's jean-clad knee.

Regina shivered at the touch, and hoped Ruby hadn't noticed. "Um, well, to be honest, this wasn't what I had in mind when I decided I wanted to be a leader. I had pictured some grand high-rise office in New York or somewhere equally as fantastic, but my duty has always been to this place. The little quaint town that I grew up in, that my father raised me in. I may get annoyed with her sometimes, but Storybrooke will always have a piece of my heart, and I will always work hard to keep her safe and running smoothly," she replied.

"That's why you're so fierce all the time," Ruby said, nodding to herself as if she'd just come to some great understanding. "You protect this place like it's your baby. And hell on anyone who tries to bring harm to it, or get in your way of doing your job."

"Yes, actually, that's quite right."

"I see your point. I can see wanting to stand up for something that means so much to you. I've definitely done my fair share of fighting to keep things I love close, and please don't take this the wrong way when I say it, but... you can be a fierce protector and a kind and caring person at the same time, you know. I'm not saying that you're not. I just mean that, it's okay to open up sometimes. You don't always have to be on the defensive."

For a moment, Ruby was afraid that she'd offended Regina, because the other woman tensed a little, her grip around her wine glass tightening just slightly, but then she relaxed again and her face softened. She looked up into sparkling hazel eyes and saw that Ruby truly meant no harm with her words. She was merely trying to tell Regina something, and it sounded quite a bit like she wanted to get to know her better.

"It's not easy for me," Regina started, tracing the rim of her glass with her index finger, "letting my guard down and letting people close. I haven't had very many people I've felt comfortable enough with to do that, so it's difficult. I feel like, in order to be taken seriously, I have to be this certain type of person, and so I've molded myself into that. Over the years I've fashioned myself into who I thought I needed to be in order to run this town. I had a little help along the way, but ultimately, it was I, myself, who created this persona. The Evil Queen, so to speak, who rules over her constituents with an iron hand."

Ruby nodded. "That makes sense. Women in politics are still a bit of a rare thing, so I get that you'd feel the need to shape yourself up into the no-nonsense, bitch on wheels that everyone loves to hate," she said, smirking to show that she was still teasing a bit, and so that Regina wouldn't slap the hell out of her for saying such a thing. "But you don't always have to be like that. I mean, I'm not trying to tell you what to be or how to act. I know I hardly even know you. I just think you can be both, ya know? Fierce and hard-working and willing to do what it takes to run this town, and kind and caring and attentive enough to relate to and understand the people who call this their home as well."

"Do you really think that that's possible?" Regina asked, dropping her eyes down to her own lap for a brief moment before catching Ruby's gaze again.

The younger woman nodded. "Oh, yes, definitely. You've sort of proven it to me tonight," she said, smiling softly.

Regina didn't know what possessed her to lean forward then, but she did, slowly until her lips just brushed against Ruby's in the lightest of kisses. She felt Ruby shift slightly against her, and then the younger woman brought her hand up, brushing Regina's hair back from her face and caressing her cheek as she deepened the kiss. Regina sighed into Ruby's mouth and melted into her touch, leaning closer and closer. Until she heard her glass clink against Ruby's. The sound was like a bucket of ice water for both of them, and they pulled away from each other quickly.

"I'm so sorry," Regina said, scrambling back on the couch. "I don't know what got into me."

Ruby reached out and closed her fingers around Regina's wrist, keeping her from moving back any farther. "Hey, it's okay. I-I wasn't offended or anything. In case you didn't notice, I kissed you back," she said, a crooked and totally endearing smile firmly in place. "Unless, of course, you didn't really want to kiss me in the first place."

"No. No, I-I did. I just-that may have been a little inappropriate."

"Inappropriate?"

"I'm the mayor and you're the deputy. I shouldn't have to remind you why that's not proper."

"Office politics or some bullshit like that."

"Yes, some bullshit like that," Regina affirmed, frowning.

"So, there's a rule against this?" Ruby asked, bringing Regina's hand up and placing a kiss to her knuckles. When Regina closed her eyes and nodded, Ruby added, "Get rid of it then. You can do that, you know. You do kind of run this place."

"Ruby," Regina breathed, forcing her eyes open, "you know I can't do that."

Ruby's face fell. "Are you sure? Because I was quite enjoying where this was going, just so you know."

"I'm sure, and I'm also fairly certain that I shouldn't have even come here tonight. None of this is appropriate, at all," Regina said, as she turned away from Ruby and pulled her hand from the other woman's grasp. "I should go," she added, setting her wine glass down on the table and pushing herself to her feet.

Ruby stood abruptly. "Please don't go. Come on. We were having a great time. Can't we just... go back to that?"

Regina shook her head. "No. I'm sorry, but I have to leave."

Ruby watched quietly as Regina grabbed up her blazer, shrugged into it, and then rushed for the door. Regina took one last look at Ruby before she yanked open the door and stepped out.

"Regina, wait," Ruby called out, but it was too late. The door slammed shut and Regina was gone. "I really like you," Ruby muttered into the empty space around her.

She sighed and ran her hand through her hair, wondering how things had gotten so out of hand when they had been going so well before. And then she remembered. Regina had kissed her. Regina Mills had kissed _her_. Not the other way around, and no, Ruby hadn't imagined it. She could still feel the tingling where Regina's lips had pressed against her own. It had felt too good, too right, for Ruby to just ignore it.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she vowed that she wouldn't let this go. She'd seen far too much of the real Regina to just turn a blind eye now. No, she wouldn't just let it go, rules and consequences be damned.


	10. Chapter 10

"Why the long face?" Graham asked, much too chipper as he strode into the bullpen on Monday morning. He carried two cups of fresh coffee and handed one off to Ruby as he perched on the edge of her desk. "You look like you lost something."

Ruby shook her head. "Nah, just trying to figure something out, is all," she said.

"Oh? What is it? Maybe I can help."

Ruby thought about that for a moment, and then looked up at Graham. "You know my date with Regina the other night?" she asked.

Graham nodded. "How'd that go, anyway?"

"Not so great."

"Uh-oh."

"Well, it started off great. I cooked for her, she came over, we had wine and we talked," Ruby explained, and Graham was grinning from ear to ear like a damned fool, until Ruby dropped the bomb on him, "and then the kissed me. I kissed her back and she completely freaked out and left."

"Whoa. Ouch," Graham said, frowning.

"Yeah. Trust me, I felt the same way. Much worse, probably."

"So, what happened? Why'd she freak out?"

"I don't know. She spouted off some crap about it being inappropriate because of our jobs and her status or some shit and I just-I don't buy it, you know. She was way too into that kiss and she could have very easily bent the rules to go further, but she wouldn't."

"So, you think it's something else?"

"Yeah. Maybe. I don't know. I think she's into me, but maybe she's scared or something."

"She does have a reputation to uphold," Graham supplied.

Ruby nodded. "It still fucking sucks though. I was doing so well, you know. Dinner was great. The conversation was even better. She was actually opening up to me a little. I managed not to make a complete ass of myself. I didn't say or do anything weird or stupid, and then she had to go and kiss me. She kissed me! And now everything is screwed up. Again."

Ruby let out a noise that was equal parts frustration and annoyance and pinched the bridge of her nose to ward off the onset of a headache. Graham took a sip of his coffee, waited a moment, then spoke.

"So, what are you going to do now?" he inquired.

"What do you think?" Ruby shot back.

"You're going after her?"

"You're damn right I am. I'm sure as hell not going to just... I'm not letting this go. There was something there, I'm telling you. I felt it, and I think maybe she did too, so no. I'm not letting this go. I can't."

Graham sighed and shook his head. "Damn, you must really have it bad," he said, reaching out to pat Ruby's shoulder sympathetically.

He made his way over to his desk just as Emma came into the room. The sheriff hung up her coat and immediately set about doling out the orders for the day, and Ruby had pretty much mentally checked out by the time Emma dismissed them to do their jobs.

She'd have to wing it for the most part, but that was something she'd always been good at.


	11. Chapter 11

Sidney Glass poked his head in through the crack in the mayor's home office door. He announced his presence with the clearing of his throat. Regina looked up from her computer screen and greeted him with a small, tight smile.

"Sidney," she said, waving the man in, "what brings you here?"

Sidney took a few steps into the room, and Regina eyed him suspiciously. His hands were clasped behind his back, and he was obviously hiding something.

"What's that?" Regina asked, craning her neck a little to get a peek at what Sidney was keeping out of sight.

"Uh, special delivery for you, Madame Mayor," Sidney answered, smiling. He moved his hands from behind his back, producing a small glass vase that contained a bouquet of a dozen or so brightly colored flowers.

Regina's eyes widened a little. "Who are they from?" she asked.

Sidney crossed the room and set the vase down on Regina's desk. "There's a card. I've been told to instruct you not to read it until after I've left the room," he said.

Regina looked surprised and somewhat confused, but she obeyed. She waited for Sidney to leave, and then she pulled the flowers forward, combing through them gently until she found the little white card that was tucked down in the center of the bouquet. On the front of the card, Regina's name was scrawled in beautiful, elegant handwriting, and when she turned the card over, she found the same pencraft, only smaller so as to fit in the limited space.

_Regina,_

_These are for you, to apologize for anything I may have done wrong the other night. I hope you're not upset with me. I had a great time with you. I enjoyed getting to know you a little better, and I know there were some small issues that we didn't quite get around to discussing, but I'd really like to see you again. I'm not above saying please._

_Ruby xx_

Regina set the card down on her desk and studied it for a moment, dark eyes tracing over each curve of each letter as she tried to steady her breathing. She hadn't been expecting this. It brought about far too many questions that Regina didn't have the answers to and that irked her to no end. Letting out a sigh, Regina placed the card into the top drawer of her desk and then picked up the vase. She grabbed her coat from the hook and left her house, and set off in the direction of the Sheriff's Office.


	12. Chapter 12

"Uhh, can I help you, Madame Mayor?" Graham asked, pulling his feet down off the desk and sitting up straight in his chair.

Regina strode purposefully forward into the bullpen, carrying the glass vase filled with multi-colored flowers. Gerber daisies, Graham recognized.

"Is Deputy Lucas in?" Regina asked, cut and dry.

"No, ma'am, she's out on patrol, but I can give her a message if you'd like," Graham told her, suddenly a little nervous.

Regina held up her hand to silence any other words Graham may have had. "That won't be necessary. She'll know when she sees these," she said.

She set the vase down on Ruby's desk and then turned on her heel, quickly retreating from the room. Graham leaned up in his chair and touched the petals of one of the small flowers. He smiled to himself.

"Good job, Rube," he murmured, before kicking his feet back up and grabbing for his newspaper.


	13. Chapter 13

"Someone's got an admirer," Graham teased, when Ruby finally made her way back into the bullpen.

"What?" Ruby asked as she trudged tiredly to her desk, her booted feet thudding heavily against the tile floor.

Graham smirked. "Madame Mayor brought you flowers."

Ruby glanced down at her desk and every ounce of color in her cheeks promptly fled when she saw the vase sitting there, the flowers still beautiful and bright and perky. The flowers that she had intended for Regina. It didn't take a genius to get the message that Regina had hoped to send. Ruby definitely took the hint. _Your gestures of kindness are not wanted._ She let herself fall into her chair and made a pitiful sound as she slammed her head down on her desk.

"Whoa, hey, don't hurt the desk," said Graham, pulling a face at his friend. "What's the matter?" he asked.

"Those flowers are not from Regina," Ruby said, voice slightly muffled.

"Huh?"

Ruby reluctantly lifted her head and repeated herself. "Those flowers are not from Regina."

"She delivered them herself."

"Yeah, maybe, but not because she was trying to be sweet. These are flowers that _I _sent _her_. Today. I had Sidney bring them to her. I guess she didn't want them."

"Aw, Rube," Graham said quietly. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Ruby shrugged. "It's okay. I'll just... have to try something else."

"There you go. Don't give up. She'll come around."

"You really think so?"

"She'd have to be an idiot not to."

That brought a smile to Ruby's lips, even as she plucked one of the petals from a red flower and muttered, "She loves me not."


	14. Chapter 14

Regina Mills hated chocolate.

It had always been a favorite of her mother's, and, by default, Regina grew up loathing it, much like she'd loathed Cora herself.

So, when Regina stepped out onto her front steps for her morning paper and found a small box of assorted high-end chocolates resting under it, she did the only reasonable thing she could think to do.

She tossed them straight into the bin.


	15. Chapter 15

"Dammit!" Ruby cursed, slamming her open palm against the front of the vending machine that refused to work right for her.

"Whoa," Emma said as she stepped into the break room, "easy there, Incredible Hulk. You might wanna ease up before that vending machine presses charges."

The blonde smirked at her own joke, but Ruby did not find it funny in the least.

"What's going on with you? You've been sort of on-edge lately. Is everything okay?" Emma asked, moving to stand beside Ruby, who was still pressing buttons on the machine and desperately trying to get it to work.

"Everything's fine," the brunette huffed.

Emma was not convinced. "This have something to do with the mayor?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Ruby turned a hard glare on her boss. "Graham told you?" she asked.

Emma smirked again. "No, you just did," she said.

Ruby sighed. "Dammit," she muttered, leaning back against the machine and closing her eyes.

"Hey, look," Emma said gently, "I'm not going to judge. Seriously, I am the last person who should be judging you. I can offer you some advice though, should you be willing to hear it. And if not, then I'm just gonna wish you luck and pray for you that this doesn't end horribly."

With that, the sheriff left the room, leaving Ruby to herself. Ruby cursed again and turned, slamming her fist into the stubborn machine once more. It rattled and hissed, and then there was the metallic thud of a soda can dropping down into the dispenser.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding," Ruby said, as she reached under the flap and pulled out her prize. She rolled her eyes when she saw what she had gotten. "Great. Diet. Just what I wanted."


	16. Chapter 16

Regina lie awake in bed, her stomach all in knots and her head packed full of confused thoughts. She tossed and turned, ended up flat on her back staring up at the ceiling, the sheets tangled around her legs. She closed her eyes and tried to will herself to sleep, but every time her eyes slid shut, she saw her. Ruby. Leaning forward, pressing her lips to Regina's, kissing her softly. That's when her eyes flew open again, but it was so real that Regina swore she could feel her lips tingling when Dream Ruby pulled away.

It was ridiculous, she knew. So utterly ridiculous and infuriating that it made her want to punch something. It also made her want to scream. Made her want to march herself right over to Ruby's apartment in the middle of the night and slap her or kiss her or something.

Regina shook herself, annoyed that she'd let this situation get to her.

To be fair, it wasn't entirely Ruby's fault. Regina had been the one who asked the deputy to escort her to that gala, when she could have just as easily asked Graham. It was customary, after all, to have someone from the Sheriff's Office on her arm at this sort of function. She'd been the one who had made sure to tell the deputy to get all dressed up. And she'd been the one whose jaw nearly came unhinged when Ruby stepped into the City Hall ballroom wearing that ridiculous excuse for a dress that showed off her legs (they went on for miles, Regina was convinced), and her cleavage, and her perfectly toned arms that were strong and warm when they'd wrapped around Regina and pulled her in for a dance. Regina had felt the first twinges of something akin to lust flare to life when Ruby held her close, and then that had quickly developed into some sort of insane little crush that Regina neither needed in her life nor wanted to admit to having.

That had been a month ago though, and Regina had been on the verge of getting over it. At least, she thought was, and then Ruby had to be the one to rush into that burning building and save her. Ruby had to be the one who risked her own life for Regina and ended up in the hospital for it. That had sparked something inside Regina that she was completely unfamiliar with. Brought about a bevy of foreign feelings. Concern. Worry. Sadness. The strange need to seek Ruby out and offer to comfort her in any way possible.

Regina had resisted. Instead, she made a fool out of herself and skulked around the Sheriff's Station like a lovesick child, gathering little bits of information here and there as best she could without seeming too obvious. That hadn't worked at all. Someone had caught on to her (Graham, no doubt) and had told Ruby of her visits, and Ruby had been the one to seek her out then.

So, Regina concluded, perhaps it _was_ more Ruby's fault than it was her own. She also knew that, no matter whose fault it was, no matter who set the current events into motion, it was starting to get to her. And, she guessed, it had started to effect Ruby as well. Probably not in the best of ways, given that Regina had gone into bitch mode the past two times Ruby had tried to extend a gesture of kindness to her.

And that's when it hit her. Hard. Like a ton of bricks or a speeding freight train. Ruby wasn't just being kind to Regina. She wasn't trying to make up for anything she'd done wrong. She was trying to win Regina over. The flowers, the candy, the note card. Essentially, the deputy had been trying to woo her.

Regina let out a groan and buried her face into her pillow, wishing that the fire had never happened in the first place. Maybe then her life wouldn't have gotten so much more complicated.


	17. Chapter 17

Emma made her way into the bullpen bright and early Thursday morning, wearing her trademark goofball grin as she announced, "I have the most wonderful news."

"Your voice sounds super creepy when you say things like that," Graham mocked her in sing-song, and Ruby had to stifle back a laugh.

"Don't you start, Humbert. I'm serious. I have awesome news," said she sheriff as she removed her red leather jacket and hung it up on the peg just inside the door to her office. She turned back to her team. "Boston PD collared the idiots who set the fire to City Hall."

"No shit?" Ruby asked, sitting up a little in her chair.

Both she and Graham seemed much more interested in what Emma had to say.

"Ah, see? Told you it was good. And yeah, they're sitting in a jail cell right now. Three of them, the oldest no more than nineteen. According to my guys over at the 23rd, they've all got records the size of Texas though. They've been bouncing around, place to place, leaving behind a trail of badly burned buildings and houses. Thankfully, no one's been hurt. Well, no one except Ruby, and the mayor, kind of," Emma explained.

"So, are we gonna go get 'em, or are they staying in Boston?" Graham asked.

"Most of the stuff they've done took place in Boston, and PD's got a pretty damn good case against them there, so we're gonna hand over what we have here and they'll tack it on," Emma replied. "They'll go away for a while, I'm sure."

"You going to add attempted homicide to those charges too? 'Cause the mayor and Ruby nearly died," Graham said, looking over at Ruby, who was just sitting back in her chair and looking sort of lost.

Emma shook her head. "They've got enough on them already. They're just stupid kids, with nothing else better to do than screw up other people's stuff," she said. She quickly added, "No offense to you, Ruby. I just don't think we need to pin anymore on them right now. Like I said, they're already going away for a long time."

Ruby didn't say anything. Graham leaned forward in his chair and snapped his fingers in front of her face, and she jumped, turning quickly to glare at him.

"What? Huh?" Ruby asked, confusion furrowing her brow.

"You were off in La-La Land, Lucas. Focus." It was the sheriff herself who answered.

"Sorry, Em," Ruby said, training her eyes on the blonde. "You were saying something about attempted homicide?"

Emma shook her head. "Just that we're not going after these kids for that. If Boston wants to, that's them, but I don't wanna tack on charge after charge and send these kids away for God knows how long. They're young, stupid, maybe they'll learn their lesson from all this."

Ruby nodded along. "Oh, yeah. No, that's good. I'm sure they'll get something out of all this. I hope so anyway," she said, still clearly off in her own world.

Emma narrowed her eyes and watched her Deputy carefully for a moment. "O-kay. Well, I'm going to lock myself in my office for a while and get some paperwork done. If you need anything," she said, looking to Graham and letting her voice trail off before she headed into her office and closed the door.

Graham waited a minute, then leaned up in his chair again and tapped his fingers on Ruby's desk to get her attention. When that didn't work, he said, "Hello. Earth to Ruby. Ruby!"

The brunette jumped again and turned to face him. "What?" she asked, annoyed.

"Where are you right now?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're clearly not here in the present with us. What are you thinking about?"

Ruby sighed. "Just... stuff."

"Regina-related stuff?"

"Yep."

"You're still trying to figure this out, aren't you? How to get through to her?" Graham asked, resting his elbows on the edge of the desk. "What have you tried so far?"

"Well, there were the flowers that completely backfired, and I sent her candy, which probably didn't go well either, since I didn't hear anything about that," Ruby began.

"Maybe she ate them all. She probably wouldn't tell you if she did," Graham interjected, smirking.

Ruby shook her head. "No. I get the feeling that she's not into romantic gestures. I mean, even casual first date dinner blew up in my face."

"Ah, yes, but it got you a kiss, which is good," Graham said.

"A kiss that also blew up in my face," Ruby corrected. "A kiss that's likely to never happen again because Regina has too many rules and regulations and too much hard facade for me to actually crack through."

"Wait. You're not giving up, are you? Because that sounded to me like you're giving up. You must not be feeling well or something."

"Graham, what else am I going to do? She's made it pretty clear that the other night was a mistake and that it can't and won't happen again, so what can I do?"

"You sure as hell can't give up. That's not the Ruby I know. When you want something, you're usually pretty good at tracking it down and getting it. You just gotta try a little harder with this one. Regina's a tough nut to crack."

"Hah, that's an understatement if there ever was one," Ruby shot back.

"Just promise me you won't give up," Graham said.

"Why do you care, anyway?"

"Because we've been friends forever and I think you deserve to be happy, even if the person that makes you happy is really, really terrifying and a little bit insane."

"You think Regina makes me happy?"

"Well, she must, otherwise you wouldn't have been so damned determined to win her over."

Ruby was quiet for a few minutes, mulling over Graham's words in her head. She had been happy. Somewhat. Kind of, before the whole dinner thing went awry. And before that, she'd sort of come to terms with the fact that Regina made her feel like there were butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. Ever since that gala, something had shifted, changed, and Ruby felt drawn to the mayor, though she didn't want to be. That sense of being pulled toward the thing you want the most was what made her go to Regina's office that night. It was why she was there when that fire started, why she had been the one to save Regina, and she refused to believe that didn't mean something.

Brushing it off as a crush hadn't worked then, and brushing it off as a failed attempt at winning Regina's heart wasn't going to work now.

"You're right," Ruby said, letting out a breath as she got to her feet, "I can't give up."

She pulled her coat from the back of her chair and slipped into it, then grabbed her car keys and turned and headed for the door.

"Cover for me," she told Graham.

"Yeah, sure," Graham said. "Hey, where are you going?"

Ruby turned and gave him a determined smile. "I'm going to track down what I want."


	18. Chapter 18

Breathe.

Just breathe.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Ruby shifted her weight from one foot to the other nervously, balancing the white paper bags filled with food that she'd acquired in her arm as she reached up with her somewhat free hand (she was still clinging to a half-empty cup of coffee) and pressed the doorbell with the tip of her pinkie.

The maid, Patricia, as Ruby found out when she did a little digging after her first meeting with Regina, pulled open the door after a few moments, and she smiled when she saw Ruby.

"Deputy Lucas," Patricia greeted, motioning Ruby into the house.

"Hey. Um, is Regina in?" Ruby asked, still struggling to cradle the bags and her drink. She was anxious enough already. The last thing she needed was to drop all the food or spill her coffee and muck things up.

"She is. Is she expecting you? Should I tell her you're here?"

"Uh, no. No, I'll just-can I go to her office?"

"She's up in her study at the moment. It's just up the stairs, first door on the left. She shouldn't be too busy," Patricia informed.

Ruby nodded. "Thanks," she said, as she slowly made her way toward the stairs.

She took the steps one at a time, careful not to trip or drop anything. When she finally reached the landing, she glanced left and found the door to the study. It was cracked open, and Ruby could make out a faint orange-y light and the sound of soft music coming from inside. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she continued on her journey. She nudged the door open just a little with her elbow and stuck her head inside, hazel eyes quickly finding and settling on Regina. The older woman was sitting on the couch, facing away from the door and gazing off into the fire crackling in the hearth, completely unaware that she had a visitor. There was a glass of wine in one hand and Regina held a book open on her lap with the other. She looked calm, peaceful even, deep in thoughts that Ruby found herself all too eager to want to know.

Ruby pushed the door open a little more and the hinges creaked faintly. Dark eyes snapped up and found her standing in the doorway. Ruby forced a smile and tried to remain calm as she held up one of the white paper bags in her hand. Regina looked surprised but not entirely angry when Ruby just let herself into the room and made her way over to the couch opposite Regina. The younger woman sat down and placed the food-laden bags and her coffee on the table.

"I hope you don't mind, I brought you lunch. I thought you might be hungry," Ruby said, trying to ignore the way Regina's eyes traveled over her, studying her carefully.

Regina planted her bare feet down on the floor and turned to face Ruby fully. She closed her book and set it down on the couch beside her, then rested her wine glass on the table. "Why are you here?" she asked, keeping her tone firm and even.

"I just said-to bring you lunch," Ruby said. "And to let you know that Boston PD caught the kids who set fire to City Hall."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you bring me lunch? Why come here in person when you could have just as easily phoned me or had someone else deliver the news?"

"Because I'm nice?"

Regina scoffed. "Deputy," she started, but Ruby cut her off.

"Do we really need the formalities?" she asked.

Regina bristled. "Yes, I believe we do."

Ruby expelled a breath and slid her slightly sweaty palms down her jeans. "Look, can we just-can we talk about what happened the other night?"

"There's nothing to talk about, dear," Regina said, letting her eyes slide away from Ruby's face and back to the fire. It was almost too much to handle, looking into hazel eyes and seeing all the things Regina was too afraid were reflected in her own eyes. All those emotions were just dangerous, unwanted, and Regina refused to let them get the better of her.

"I sent you flowers," Ruby went on, ignoring Regina's previous statement completely. "You brought them back. I guess you didn't want them, but you forgot the card. Did you keep it?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "It's in the trash," she lied, "along with those horrid chocolates you sent me."

Ruby grimaced. _Ouch_. "Okay. So, you're not a fan of flowers or candy. Got it. Tell me, what do you like?"

"Privacy. Solitude. People who do their jobs instead of harassing me."

_Ouch again._ Ruby shifted in her seat and then tried a different approach. "I had a good time the other night," she said slowly, gauging Regina's reaction to the simple statement. "In spite of you freaking out and running off, that is."

That definitely got Regina's attention. She snapped her eyes up and glared hard at Ruby. "I did not freak out, Deputy Lucas, and you'll do well to watch your words and your tone with me," she said, nostrils flaring.

_Score._ Ruby smiled to herself. "Oh, but you did freak out. You kissed me, and then you freaked out. Something about rules and that sort of behavior not being appropriate. It didn't feel too bad when I kissed you back though, did it?"

That hit a nerve. Regina stood abruptly and pointing a finger at the door. "Out," she said firmly. "Get out. Now."

Ruby leaned back against the couch. "I'm not leaving."

Regina huffed. "If you don't leave my house right this instant, so help me, I'll-"

"You'll what? Have me arrested? I'm the Deputy, Regina. You might wanna think that through," Ruby said, smirking, quite enjoying how quickly she'd managed to stir Regina up.

It didn't take much to get the other woman hot under the collar, and Ruby surmised it wouldn't take much to get her to an entirely different place either, one that was a lot less pissed off and much more turned on. _All or nothing, Lucas. Go for it._

"Sit down," Ruby said a moment later.

"Excuse me?" Regina barked.

"I said, sit down. Threatening me is pointless. I just wanna talk. Can we do that?"

Regina looked for a moment like she was going to continue to protest, but then she sighed, rolled her eyes at Ruby, and then moved to sit down again.

"Uh-uh," Ruby told her, shaking her head. "Over here," she said, patting the sofa cushion next to her.

"You have got to be kidding me."

"Do I look like I'm kidding right now? I'm tired of playing games, Regina. Come here."

Regina reluctantly crossed the short distance and settled herself on the couch next to Ruby. Not too close. But Ruby quickly solved that problem by scooting in and turning to face Regina. She laid her arm across the back of the couch and subtlely grazed Regina's shoulder with her fingertips, and when Regina shuddered, Ruby mentally patted herself on the back.

"You said you wished to talk," Regina said, "so what are you waiting for?"

"You know you don't have to be like this around me, right?" Ruby asked, reaching out against her better judgment and taking Regina's hand into her own.

Regina flinched and tried to pull away, but Ruby just tightened her grip, not enough to hurt but to get her point across that she wasn't letting go.

"You were different the other night, at dinner. And don't get me wrong, you're ridiculously sexy when you're angry, but you're also incredibly beautiful when you let yourself go a little. I managed to get a little glimpse of that, that night, and I think there's more to that side of you. You're just afraid to show it," Ruby continued.

Regina tensed. "You don't know anything about me," she said, voice low.

"I know that you don't like flowers," Ruby told her, smiling a little, "or chocolate. Romantic gestures. I know that you like wine, and good conversation, and you love your job. You love this town. I know that you're smart and gorgeous and strong, and you can be pretty scary and stubborn and pig-headed when you don't get your way." Ruby paused and moved closer to Regina, her thumb ghosting across Regina's knuckles. "I know that you're not really comfortable with showing your feelings, opening yourself up to others. I don't know why, exactly, but I'd like to find out, if you'd let me."

Regina snorted and rolled her eyes at that.

"And I know that I like you. A lot," Ruby said, leaning in closer.

Regina's breath hitched. She didn't dare look at Ruby. Didn't dare to move a muscle or say anything. She was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to speak anyway, not with the way Ruby's body was currently pressing into her side, her warm breath ghosting across Regina's skin.

Ruby kept talking. "You know, the night of the fire? I wasn't even on call. I was going to your office because I wanted to talk to you. I wanted-I wanted to ask you out."

Regina peeled her eyes away from the speck of dust she'd been eyeing on the coffee table and finally, _finally_, looked at Ruby. "You did?" she asked softly.

Ruby nodded. "Ever since that gala. Ever since we danced together and I got to feel you in my arms." She slipped her arm down off the back of the couch and trailed her fingers across Regina's shoulders, lightly brushing the hair at the nape of Regina's neck. "You were so beautiful. You _are_ beautiful. I see that, when I look at you. It's not so difficult for me to see past all this anger and these walls that you put up. I just wish you'd show me more."

Regina's mouth went dry. She opened it to speak, to say something, anything, but found that she couldn't. She hadn't been expecting to hear that. Hadn't expected to find that Ruby had been interested in her for as long as she had been interested in the Deputy. It was all a little bit overwhelming, too much information to process, too soon. Regina couldn't remember the last time she'd been left dumbstruck and speechless.

Actually, she could. She remembered all too well, to be honest. The gala. Ruby. That dress. The way Ruby had held her close when they danced. It all kept coming back to that. It was supposed to be a formal event, a party for the sake of business, for the sole purpose of Regina making sure all the proper Chess pieces were still being heavily influenced and controlled by her strategies. How quickly it had turned into something else, something so entirely different and unexpected that it made Regina's head spin.

"Regina."

Ruby's gentle voice startled the other woman out of her thoughts. She blinked a few times, trying to bring herself back to the here and now, and felt Ruby's fingers on her chin, lifting her head until their gazes met. Regina swallowed thickly, and before she had time to say or do anything, Ruby had leaned forward, closing the gap between them until her lips met Regina's in a slow, tentative kiss. Regina responded immediately, in spite of knowing that she shouldn't. She allowed herself to be kissed, and she kissed Ruby back with equal fervor, throwing caution and consequences to the wind, opting instead to just let go and enjoy the feeling of soft, warm lips moving against her own.

Things quickly got out of hand. Spurred on my Regina's fingers tangling in her hair, Ruby increased the intensity of her kisses, tilting her head slightly to get a better angle and nipping at Regina's lips. She slid her tongue along the seam of Regina's lips, asking for entrance that Regina was all too eager to grant her. Their tongues met and dueled and Regina moaned, pushing her body closer to Ruby's, arching up into the younger woman's touch.

Ruby rose up onto her knees and gently pushed Regina back onto the couch. She settled down on top of her, never once breaking contact with Regina's lips. Regina breathed in deep through her nose, and sighed into Ruby's mouth, hands moving around to Ruby's back, fingernails scratching at soft leather. When Ruby finally broke away, just long enough to shrug out of her jacket, Regina was struck with a moment of clarity. A little of the haze cleared from her mind and she stared up at Ruby, who was hovering over her, long, elegant fingers working quickly to get her belt buckle undone. Regina brought her hand up and laid it over Ruby's, stilling her movement.

"What's wrong?" Ruby asked, hazel eyes glistening in the low light.

Regina shook her head and smiled. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong. I just-what about lunch?" she said, and she knew it sounded silly the moment the words left her mouth, but she was grasping at straws here, still trying desperately to find some reason why she and Ruby shouldn't be doing this. Not now, anyway.

Ruby just grinned and leaned down to kiss Regina again. "Forget about lunch," she said, moving her lips down the elegant column of Regina's neck. "There are better things on the menu now."

Regina bit down on her lower lip to stifle back a moan when Ruby sucked at her pulse point. She closed her eyes and pushed her other thoughts aside, focused on how good it felt when Ruby's hands grazed her sides and slipped under her shirt, cool fingers tickling Regina's skin. Regina made a strangled noise in the back of her throat when Ruby just brushed the underside of her breasts, and Ruby pulled back, hands stilling on Regina's stomach, feeling the muscles twitching there beneath her fingers.

"You okay?" Ruby asked, genuine concern lacing her voice.

Regina nodded, eyes still shut tight, bottom lip still caught firmly between sharp white teeth. Ruby smiled and pressed a kiss to Regina's cheek.

"Are you sure?" Ruby asked, to which Regina nodded again. "If this is going to fast, you can tell me. I want you to tell me, okay?"

Dark eyes fluttered open and Regina smiled up at Ruby, warm and reassuring. "It's not too fast. I-I've been wanting this for a while, I think," she said, the admission rolling not so easily off her tongue.

"Yeah?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Maybe," Ruby started, but she trailed off, suddenly lost deep in thought for a moment. "Maybe we should wait," she finished.

Regina paled visibly at that. "Wait?"

"Yeah. I just-I don't want to rush things. I want to be able to take my time and touch all of you. I want to kiss you all over and make love to you slowly and-"

"If you don't stop talking like that, I won't make it there," Regina cut in, smirking, but it was obvious that she was quite serious, if the way her breath hitched and her voice wavered were anything to go by.

Ruby chuckled softly and the sound sent a shiver through Regina.

"We can wait though," Regina said, "if you want to."

"You're okay with that?" Ruby asked.

Regina nodded. "We've waited this long, haven't we? What's a little while longer?"

"I don't want us to both go crazy."

It was Regina's turn to laugh. "I won't."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Good, and I promise I won't go crazy either."

Ruby reluctantly pushed herself up and moved off of Regina, standing and straightening her clothes. She reached for her jacket and shrugged into it.

"I guess... I should go. I asked Graham to cover for me and he's probably wondering where the hell I am," Ruby said, watching as Regina sat up and leaned back against the couch.

"All right," was all the older woman said.

"Can I-can I come by tonight?" Ruby asked hesitantly.

"I would like that very much."

Ruby let out a relieved sigh and took a step forward, then she bent her head toward Regina and kissed her one last time before she left the room.

Regina brought her fingers up to her lips, still tingling from Ruby's touch, and she smiled to herself, no longer able to keep the rush and excitement she felt at bay. Her body was practically thrumming with anticipation, and she hoped to God that she could keep her promise and not go insane with want before she could see Ruby again.


	19. Chapter 19

"Where the hell have you been?" Graham hissed under his breath when Ruby stepped into the bullpen. "Sheriff's been asking about you, and I had to tell her you went to check on a reported prowler up by old Goldie's mansion. I'm pretty sure she knew I was lying."

Ruby grinned sheepishly as she took a seat behind her desk. "Sorry. I was taking care of business," she said much too casually.

Graham perked up. "Business? Like, _Mayoral _business?" he asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Ruby teased, but she was the one who blushed and Graham laughed at her.

"Nicely done, Lucas. Nicely done. You think you can focus enough to get back to work now though? Emma's not too happy at the moment and I don't want both of us getting our asses fired because you couldn't keep it in your pants."

Ruby just rolled her eyes and stuck Graham the finger, and Graham answered by sticking his tongue out at her in a very mature and manly fashion. Ruby brought her chair closer to her desk and picked up a file, opening it on her desk and pretending to work on it.

Really, she was too busy thinking about all the things she was going to do once she got Regina alone again to pay any attention to codes and regulations.

She had finally managed to break through that hard, icy facade Regina used as a defense mechanism. They had both made progress, and it helped to strengthen Ruby's resolve. She still had much, much more to explore; so much more to learn and discover about the mayor. What made her smile, what made her laugh, what made her angry, or drove her to tears or fits of giggles that she couldn't contain no matter how hard she tried. She hoped that at least now, Regina would be willing to let her find these things out for herself.

And even if it was still difficult, even if it didn't all come as naturally to Regina as it did to Ruby, even if they fought or argued over it, Ruby knew she was far beyond the point of being deterred by that. She was still going to enjoy every minute of it.


End file.
